California dreamin' (of fish)
Be mindful fishing off La Jolla– under the California Marine Life Protection Act, these designated zones limit or prohibit commercial fishing to protect marine ecosystems and biodiversity
What are Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s)?
While longlining off Alaska, your captain has you dye the bait blue and hang streamers from the lines to reduce endangered seabird bycatch because of this Act.
What is the Endangered Species Act?
This commission focuses on the conservation and management of tuna and other marine resources across the eastern Pacific Ocean
What is the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)?
Besides preventing overfishing, this Act also calls for the development of underutilized fisheries, rebuilding of fish stocks, and protection of essential fish habitats
What is the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act?
These plans outline regulations such as catch limits, gear restrictions, and seasonal closures to help fishermen fish legally and sustainably while protecting fish populations.
What are Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs)?
NOAA wants to pay to expand a wharf in your harbor so that they can dock their new research vessel, the R/V Chicken of the Sea. The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) requires this to determine the project’s potential impacts.
What is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?
The Law of the Sea defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to the use and management of resources, such as fisheries, once outside of this zone.
What is a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, 200 nm)?
You are fishing off the coast and a curious sea lion pup tries to board your vessel to have a snack; this Act prohibits you from obliging him and generally protects all marine mammals
What is the Marine Mammal Protection Act?
The Port proposes to expand fishing docks over eelgrass habitat; CEQA requires agencies to determine and minimize these which may result from the activities.
What are environmental impacts?
You are returning from a long fishing trip that took you to foreign harbors. The Non-indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Prevention and Control Act says you need to do this outside of the EEZ (200 miles) so you don’t introduce non-native species into your home harbor.
What is ballast water exchange?
The U.S. and Canada have an agreement that allows their fishermen to come within 12 miles of each other’s shores to access ports, fish and share data on this highly migratory species
What is Albacore tuna?
A fisherman you know is applying for a grant resulting from this Act to replace her old diesel with a new low emissions engine.
What is the Clean Air Act?
Time for a new coat of bottom paint. You take your boat to a boatyard to paint it knowing they have the gear and permits to properly manage this, which impacts water quality downstream.
What is waste discharge (or point source pollution)?
Your port proposes to dredge harbor sediment and use it to build a jetty to reduce wave energy; the 1899 Rivers & Harbors Appropriation Act requires a permit from this agency
What is the US Army Corps of Engineers?
This ocean flatfish was among the first in the world to be the focus of an international agreement that sought to conserve and stop the decline of this fish’s stocks.
What is the Pacific halibut?
This state act ensures the protection of commercial fishing facilities and prioritizes coastal-dependent uses like fishing, while also conserving marine life and public access to the shoreline
What is the California Coastal Act?
The Marine Life Management Act doesn’t allow fishing to go on until damage occurs, it instead requires advance evidence that fishing activities will be this
What is sustainable?
Because of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, you get to attend this group’s meetings, where fishermen, government officials, and scientists collaborate to guide sustainable fisheries decisions.
What is a Regional (the Pacific) Fishery Management Council?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) works globally to ensure that the use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable, and ensure that this is protected
What is biodiversity?
On a long fishing trip about 10 miles off shore, your tidy fellow crew member decides to clean up the boat and wants to throw trash bags overboard and empty the waste holding tank into the sea- this Act makes this illegal
What is the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (aka Ocean Dumping Act)?